JOSEPH WAS BROUGHT DOWN
Genesis 37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard. 39:1 ¶ And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
Joseph was “brought” because he was “bought.” He is a great picture of Christ Jesus. Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He left home, sent by his father to seek the welfare of his brothers. Genesis 37:14 1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Even though they hated him, he sought their good. Genesis 37:4,8 John 15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
Luke 9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He went from Hebron = “fellowship, companionship” – to Shechem = “shoulder”. Genesis 37:14 See the Son’s fellowship and companionship with the Father before the world began. – See Proverbs 8:22-32. Then see how he came into the world to ‘shoulder’ the responsibility of recovering the world from sin. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
He was a wanderer in the field. Genesis 37:15 Matthew 13:38 The field is the world. Luke 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
John 7:53 And every man went unto his own house. 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. They all had a house. He had a mountain.
There was a “certain man” in the field who directed him to his brothers. Genesis 37:15 He is a representative man, picturing all of depraved mankind. He neither came with Joseph to the field, nor went with him when he left. He was not a part of Joseph’s sufferings, or glory. 1Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
The Lord Jesus took on him the responsibility to save men, not angels! – Hebrews 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. He sustains all human life (raining on just and unjust – sun shining on good and evil), in order to bring his brethren home! Romans 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
This certain man was like the religious of Jerusalem when the wise men arrived. They knew where the Christ was to be born, but not a one of them went with the wise men to worship him! See Matthew 2:4-8. If they had a desire to seek, they would have found! Matt. 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Joseph’s brothers conspired against him. Genesis 37:18. John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Matthew 12:14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
They mocked that which would be used to bring their salvation. Genesis 37:19,20. See also of Pharaoh’s dreams in Genesis 41:1,8,9,12. Matthew 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. They mocked the cross which would bring salvation!
Judah proposed his sale. Genesis 37:26 That’s the same name in Hebrew as “Judas” is in Greek! Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Both the hypocrisy of the brothers concerning Joseph and that of the Jews concerning Christ Jesus is clearly seen. Genesis 37:27 “let not our hands be upon him.” John 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
The Jews used the Romans like his brothers did the Midianites to do their killing. But they were still the guilty ones! Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
They were very calloused in their cruelty. Genesis 37:25 “And they sat down to eat bread:” See also Genesis 42:21. Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him there;
They stripped him of his robe. Genesis 27:23 Matthew 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
Be careful dear Christian lest you lose your garments of righteousness! Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
They put him in a pit. Genesis 37:24 Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Zechariah 9:11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Compare Psalm 35:7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
His bloody coat was presented to his father. Genesis 37:31,32. Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Then in Genesis 37:34 we have a picture of the father’s deep pain as he learns of his son’s death. Jacob tore his clothes. The Father tore the veil of the temple. (Matt 27:51). Jacob’s world became dark with mourning. The Father put out the light of the sun! (Luke 23:45). May God have mercy on all us sinners!
Pastor Gene Breed
July 21, 2016